Olefin oligomers often serve as important intermediates in the production of lubricants, plasticizers, detergents, surfactants, and fuels. These oligomers are generally synthesized from simple olefinic feedstocks. However, these reactions are often catalyzed using transition metal catalysts that require activating agents such as boranes and methylaluminoxane. These activating agents can decompose upon being exposed to air and/or water. Additionally, many of these activating agents, such as methylaluminoxane, include sensitive metal-carbon bonds that can be broken upon exposure to air and/or water. As a result, these olefin oligomerization processes require rigorously air and moisture-free conditions. Since economic constraints make these conditions inconvenient to achieve on an industrial scale, there is a need for improved olefin oligomerization processes.